Dine on our Dime: Vintage Paris

Hollister coffee and wine shop puts gourmet spin on its sandwiches

May 16, 2013

The Chicken Salad Sandwich is one of four sandwiches on the menu at Vintage Paris in downtown Hollister. It's primarily a coffee shop, but the owners keep a small sandwich menu. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

In the summertime, Vintage Paris has local musicians on the weekends and plays black-and-white films in the courtyard. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

Sometimes we stumble upon something just a bit off the beaten path that becomes a quick favorite. Though reader Sonya Wise lives in Springfield, she and her family will often travel to Hollister on the weekends to walk the trails and relax. When they were on their way to a different restaurant, her daughter noticed the quaint, small Vintage Paris and said they should give it a go. It’s now a family favorite and a Hollister tradition for Sonya and her crew.

Sonya's Take

“Who would have ever dreamed that we would find one of our favorite eating spots in Hollister?” she says. “Our mouths just dropped open.” Now, when she and her husband travel their favorite 4.4-mile hiking trail in the area, they think, “we’re getting closer and closer to a chicken salad sandwich and glass of wine at Vintage Paris.”

Sonya has several little favorites in downtown Hollister, but there’s something about the aesthetic of Vintage Paris that keeps drawing her in. It has only four sandwiches — “They keep it really simple,” she says — but the wine selection is amazing, and Sonya’s always surprised at the varieties she’s been able to find. Plus, because she’s an artist, she appreciates the local art that’s for sale on the restaurant’s walls.

The restaurant also features several desserts, coffees and beers. It even features other local goods, such as Askinosie chocolate bars. Just because the menu’s simple doesn’t mean it’s not delicious. “I can’t tell you which is best,” she says of the sandwiches. “Just try them all,” she advises. Today, she opts for the Chicken Salad Sandwich ($7.95), which she notes has a hint of tarragon and isn’t overpowered by mayonnaise. Sonya appreciates the simple touches and the gourmet ingredients that Vintage Paris uses. She and her husband will usually share a bottle of wine and the sandwich, as it’s large.

For dessert, she orders the round Red Velvet mini cake ($5.90). “Wow, this is rich,” she says. She’s only able to eat a bit. She loves everything about it, from the cream cheese filling to the raspberry finish she notes after each bite.

(Page 2 of 3)

Katie's Take

When I think of Hollister, I typically think of a place to grab a bite to eat when visiting the Branson Airport or after a long day at Silver Dollar City. My trip to Vintage Paris is the first time I’ve trekked the Hollister downtown area. Before now, I didn’t realize that such a distinct spot existed just south of Branson.

Vintage Paris specializes in wine and coffee, so immediately I’m hooked. The food menu is quite small, but Sonya assures me that it’s all good. The walls are lined with wine bottles, and I notice some local craft beers, too. The café doesn’t have many tables; instead, guests can enjoy plush couches and armchairs. While we’re eating, several people come in to get coffee to go.

I decide on the Baked Turkey Sandwich ($7.95) based on Sonya’s recommendation. The server says I made a great choice.

The sandwich comes out baked with melty cheese, but I notice there’s actually melted cheese on top of the sandwich as well as a spread that looked like pesto, so in addition to boasting savory flavors, the sandwich looks beautiful, too.

Because of its ample layers, I eat it with a fork, and it has an oh-my-melty-cheese-goodness quality about it. Is this sandwich for real? Baked French bread with lots of cheese, turkey and a full-flavored topping? And an extra layer on top of the sandwich? Yeah, it’s for real. I’ve never tried a sandwich like that, but I would definitely suggest getting it at Vintage Paris. I’m not sure how Sonya can only eat half of her sandwich. I eat all of mine and most certainly mourn the last bite.

For dessert, I choose the peanut butter and chocolate round mini cake ($5.90). It’s quite rich, and I only eat half. The cake part is moist, and the peanut butter part is creamy and delicious. Sonya lets me try her red velvet cake, and the cream cheese layers make that great, too.

The Dish, the Restaurant

Matt and Jessica Farmer bought Vintage Paris a year ago from its original owner. For them, the coffee shop had sentimental value, too, so they enjoyed taking over the shop. The pair met on the front patio, were engaged at the shop and even got married thereop. It just made sense to enjoy their married lives at the shop, too. Jessica always thought she’d open a coffee shop but wasn’t expecting to do it so soon. “We got it ahead of our plan, which was awesome,” she says.

(Page 3 of 3)

The duo focuses on local vendors and food. For instance, all of the crafts and art in the building are from local artists. The wine and beer comes from all over, and she relies on input from her suppliers on what tastes the best. “They’ll get us some really eclectic stuff, and if we like it, we’ll try it in the shop,” she says. “We want to provide the best things we can so that the community can enjoy something different.”

Jessica stresses that she keeps the focus primarily on coffee — she makes only 20 to 30 sandwiches a day — but she’s kept the small sandwich menu because people really enjoy them. The chicken salad is more of an herb chicken salad, instead of a nut and fruit type. The baked turkey sandwich that I enjoyed starts with French bread and has turkey and a spinach artichoke spread on top. She puts the cheese on top and bakes it in the French style.

The baked goods and desserts come from a local bakery that specializes in European-style cakes.

Jessica loves it when customers come in to spend time and enjoy their coffee, wine or beer. She and her husband have a lending library in the shop and a guitar, too, for customers to enjoy while they’re relaxing in the shop. “We genuinely care about our customers and want them to have the best of the best,” she says.